Supreme Court refuses to stay conviction of IPS officer in Bilkis case

A mob had attacked Bilkis' family at Randhikpur village near Ahmedabad during the post-Godhra riots on March 3, and killed seven members.

New Delhi, May 30: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to stay the conviction of an IPS officer in the sensational 2002 Bilkis Bano case.

A vacation bench of Justices A K Sikri and Deepak Gupta said that "there is no urgency for hearing the matter as the convicted officer has already undergone the sentence."

The bench, however, listed the matter for hearing in the second week of July, observing the fine is of Rs 15,000 only.

IPS officer R S Bhagora, currently serving in Gujarat, has been convicted along with four other policemen by the Bombay High Court recently after the trial court had acquitted them.

The counsel appearing for Bhagora said that if the conviction is not stayed, then he will be terminated from the service as per service rules. He said the court should grant stay on the conviction.

The Bombay High Court had on May 4 reversed the trial court verdict acquitting Bhagora and others and had convicted 11 people one convict is dead in the Bilkis Bano gang rape case.
Along with five policemen, two doctors were also convicted by the HC.

According to the prosecution, a mob had attacked Bilkis' family at Randhikpur village near Ahmedabad during the post-Godhra riots on March 3, and killed seven members.

PTI